Grow Up Great
Note: This is PART 1 of a two-part lesson. It should be taught BEFORE the lesson, Part 2: Expressive Sculptures, found on this website.
Before cameras were invented, many people had artists create portraits of themselves and their families. When an artist creates an image of a person (as Rodin did in his Pierre de Wissant sculpture), it is called a portrait. Portraits can be paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures, or any other art medium. Portraits usually tell us something about the person. For instance, the clothes a person is wearing can give you clues about their job or that time in history. A facial expression in the portrait can give you clues about how the person was feeling at the time.
These lessons are aligned with the Common Core State Standards ("CCSS"). The CCSS provide a consistent, clear understanding of the concepts and skills children are expected to learn and guide teachers to provide their students with opportunities to gain these important skills and foundational knowledge.**
Before cameras were invented, many people had artists create portraits of themselves and their families. When an artist creates an image of a person (as Rodin did in his Pierre de Wissant sculpture), it is called a portrait. Portraits can be paintings, photographs, drawings, sculptures, or any other art medium. Portraits usually tell us something about the person. For instance, the clothes a person is wearing can give you clues about their job or that time in history. A facial expression in the portrait can give you clues about how the person was feeling at the time.
Auguste Rodin was a famous artist from France. His artwork includes illustrations and paintings; however, he is most well-known for his sculptures. In fact, Rodin is considered to be one of the most important sculptors of his time (1840–1917). During the time in which Rodin created this sculpture, art was very dramatic, so artists used light and dark to create intense emotion. Rodin is best known for his piece, The Thinker, which is among the most recognizable sculptures in the world.
- Song: “If You’re Happy and You Know It”:
* If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap)
* If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap)
* If you’re happy and you know it, then you really ought to show it,
* If you’re happy and you know it, clap your hands (clap, clap)
- Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberley and Anne Miranda
- The Way I Feel by Janan Cain
- The Feelings Book by Todd Parr
- Today I Feel Silly: And Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee Curtis
While we believe that the books and resources recommended may be of value to you, keep in mind that these are suggestions only and you must do your own due diligence to determine whether the materials are appropriate and suitable for your use. PNC has no sponsorship or endorsement agreement with the authors or publishers of the materials listed.
There are currently no Common Core Standards for pre-k, but these lessons are aligned as closely as possible to capture the requirements and meet the goals of Common Core Standards. However, these lessons were neither reviewed or approved by the National Governors Association Center for Best Practices or the Council of Chief State School Officers, which together are the owners and developers of the Common Core State Standards.
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